त्रिविधेन पुराणेन भर्त्तुर्या स्त्री हिते रता
A wife devoted to her husband's welfare, with three kinds of ancient support,
किमन्यैर्बहुभिर्भूप वाक्यालापकृतैर्मया
What is the use, O king, of many words and conversations spoken by me?
न प्रीतिर्यदि मे छित्वा शिरः स्वं हि प्रयच्छसि
If you do not give me joy, even after severing your own head,
तदा ह्यसत्यवचसो देहं न स्पर्शयामि ते
Then, if your words are untruthful, I will not touch your body.
विशेषाद्भूमिपालानां त्वद्विधानां महीपते
Especially among kings like you, O ruler of the earth,
सत्ये स्थिता क्षितिर्भूप सत्यं धारयते जगत्
The earth stands upon truth, O king; truth sustains the world.
सत्या धारमिदं सर्वं जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम्
By truth, all this—everything movable and immovable in the world—is upheld.
न गर्भं युवती धत्ते वेलातीतं कदाचन
A young woman never bears a child beyond the proper time.
दिव्यादिसाधनं नॄणां सत्याधारं महीपते
The means to attain the divine and other goals for men, O king, is founded upon truth.
मदिरापानतुल्येन कर्मणा लिप्यसे ऽनृतात्
You are stained by falsehood as by an act equal to drinking wine.
मन्दरे पर्वतश्रेष्ठे हरिवासरभोजनम्
On Mandara, the foremost mountain, the meal of Hari's day,
क्षुद्रशास्त्रोपदेशेन लोलुपेन वरानने
Through the teaching of inferior doctrines by a greedy one, O beautiful-faced one,
न शङ्खेन पिबेत्तोयं न हन्यात्कूर्मसूकरौ
One should not drink water with a conch, nor kill turtles or boars.
अगम्यागमने देवि अभक्ष्यस्य च भक्षणे
O Devi, approaching forbidden women and eating what is prohibited—
जानन्नपि कथं देवि भोक्ष्ये ऽहं हरिवासरे
Even knowing, O Devi, how could I eat on the day sacred to Hari?
अभक्ष्येण समः प्रोक्तः किं पुनश्चात्तनक्रिया
It is said that eating what is prohibited is equal; what then of deliberate eating?
मूलं फलं पयस्तोयमुपभोज्यं मुनीश्वरैः
Roots, fruits, milk, and water are fit for consumption by great sages.
ज्वरिणां लङ्घनं शस्तं धार्मिकाणामुपोषणम्
Fasting is recommended for those with fever; for the righteous, abstinence is upheld.
ज्वरमध्ये कृतं पथ्यं निधनाय प्रकल्पते
What is suitable during fever, if taken, leads to destruction.
माग्रहं कुरु वामोरु व्रतभङ्गो भवेन्मम
Do not insist, O slender-thighed one; breaking my vow would result.
न चान्यद्रोचते राजन्विना वै भोजनं तव
Nothing else pleases, O king, except your food.
न च वेदेषु दृष्टो ऽयमुपवासो हरेर्दिने
This fasting on Hari's day is not found in the Vedas.
वेदबाह्य कथं धर्मं भवांश्चरितुमिच्छति
How do you wish to practice a dharma outside the Vedas?
उवाच मानसे क्रुद्धः प्रहसन्निव भूपते
He spoke in his mind, angry, yet smiling, O king.
यज्ञकर्मक्रिया वेदः स्मृतिर्वेदो गृहाश्रमे
Sacrificial rites are from the Veda; tradition is the Veda in the householder's life.
पुराणपुंरुषाज्जातं यथेदं जगदद्भुतम्
Just as this wondrous world arose from the primeval man of the Purāṇa—
वेदार्थादधिकं मन्ये पुराणार्थं वरानने
O beautiful-faced one, I consider the meaning of the Purāṇas greater than that of the Vedas.
बिभेत्यल्पश्रुताद्वेदो मामयं प्रहरिष्यति
The Veda fears those of little learning; it may strike me.
तिथिवृद्धिक्षयो वापि पर्वग्रहविनिर्णयः
The increase or decrease of lunar days, and the determination of festivals and planetary conjunctions—
यन्न दृष्टं हि वेदेषु तत्सर्वं लक्ष्यते स्मृतौ
Whatever is not seen in the Vedas is all found in the tradition.